Wanted Help! Gearbox urgently needed!

[Stanky]

I thought I'd post here rather than the wanted section to get more views, mods - move this to the wanted section if you like.

 

I am in urgent need of a gearbox for a Mk1 Nissan Almera 1.4 GA14DE for a reasonable sum of money. The one in the wifemobile is majorly borked to the point the whine under power makes it sound supercharged. I want to save the car as the rest of it is in amazingly good nick, but the cheapest gearbox I can find on ebay is £175 which seems a bit salty to me, especially for a 19 year old car - demand can't be that high surely!

 

I need to ring some local breakers tomorrow to see what they can do, but I need to get this done ASAP as its is not long for this world.

 

Does anyone know much about Nissan GA series engines? They did a 1400cc and a 1600cc so I hope that they both used the same box, there are loads of later 1.5l QG engine code (mk2 Almera) bits on ebay but from what I've read these are different engines and the boxes are not interchangable.

 

any suggestions? it has just passed its MOT with flying colours so I'd rather not bridge it for lack of a box.

[BorniteIdentity]

You might be able to buy an entire car for less than that at the moment. Scrap is on its arse.

 

Where are you?

[Stanky]

Fareham, Hampshire.

 

I've looked around to see if I can see any MOT fails or other cheap candidates and theres nothing yet. further googling has turned up this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-NISSAN-PRIMERA-1-6-16V-5-SPEED-MANUAL-GEARBOX-2J006-73K-REF-BU667-/281834860001?hash=item419eaaade1:g:LVAAAOSwA4dWJ6oh

 

Which is a GA16DE box from a P10 primera which could work.

 

Or this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-Nissan-Sunny-1-6-complete-engine-with-gearbox-Good-condition-export-/121793132246?hash=item1c5b6fb6d6:g:RMMAAOSwsB9WC-6q

 

Which will also yield the box I require plus a spare engine for an OMG LOL DVLA DONT KNOW M8 conversion in the future.

 

these are a bit closer to the mark price-wise

[Slartibartfast]

Will it take the gearbox from a 2.0 Megane Cabriolet?

[Stanky]

Honest* John suggests the following:

 

According to Haynes, if it's for an N15 Almera it'll be....

RS5F30A for a 1.4
RS5F31A for a 1.6

The 30A was used on the Sunny 1.4 (both N13 and N14), and the 31A was used on the Sunny 1.6 as well. Not sure if it was used on the Primera P10 1.6, but I'd assume so.

 

The Sunny Engine/Gearbox combo is looking promising here...

 

**EDIT** Possible saviour in the shape of a 1998 complete car with MOT to the end of the month and relatively locally for £75. message sent, and all digits crossed I get first dibs. It could/should/might also yield some good bits like tyres and engine ancilliaries too if I can get it for that price.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Stanky

[KruJoe]

That's the way to do it.

I love having a breaker for each of the cars I run, it's a great way "to Autoshite" if you have space to keep one.

[primeradoner]

Think that i can help you on this. Mk1 Almera GA14DE gearbox is different to GA16DE gearbox (bigger splines on 16 so drive shafts do not interchange). Primera gearbox no good as starter on opposite side and shafts dont interchange. Later 1.5s are a completely different box with hydraulic clutch. Basically to avoid any grief you need a GA14DE gearbox. I have a couple already out of the car and will donate one foc if you can arrange a courier or autoshite collection and delivery. I am in Co Durham. If you can get a breaker for £75  then do it,the local banger racers will give you most of that back for a rolling shell

[Stanky]

Top man - I'm happy to pay for one but they seem to be thin on the ground. A whole car would be handy but I wouldn't be able to keep it very long and would need to plan stripping very carefully so as not to immobilise the rolling shell.

 

This might be a stupid question but once a balljoint has been separated (in order to remove the driveshaft and get the box out) can it be re-attached to get the shell rolling again? Or is the driveshaft vital for keeping the hub attached to the car?

 

If you can PM me your details I'll be more than happy to arrange a courier to come and pick it up.

 

Thank you very much!

[scaryoldcortina]

Balljoints can be reattached, but the driveshaft is essential in keeping the hub attached to the car - the outer end holds the wheelbearing together. For moving an engineless car, split the outer joint off the shaft and refit it.

[primeradoner]

On Almeras you dont need to split the bottom balljoint to remove the driveshaft. There are 2 bolts that hold the strut to the hub. If you remove the castle nut from the end of the shaft, remove the steering arm and then take out these 2 bolts and pull the hub away from the strut  the drive shaft will come out. The hub can then be reattached to the strut and the car will still roll without the driveshaft. I will dig a gearbox out over the weekend strap it to a pallet and contact you regarding collection

[Stanky]

You sir are a hero - I shall arrange a clutch kit toute suite and as Limp Bizkit famously said, the Nissan shall "Keep rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin".

 

Next question - anyone know and good couriers who are prepared to deal with an oily gearbox? I've found the following:

 

http://www.palletcourier.co.uk

 

https://www.paisleyfreight.com

 

any other suggestions?

[Stanky]

And one more question!

 

Transmech clutches - good or bad? There seems to be some 'frothing at the mouth OMGPOWAAAR types who say they are utterly shit and will disintegrate in nanoseconds and don't bother, but the Nissan will be doing an absolute maximum of 5k a year on local duties so for £32.70 a cheap kit from ECP sounds like a option worth considering. A LUK kit is only £39 so is it worth saving the £7 on the lesser-known brand or go with one I know.

 

Obviously even with the good rates I get from my uncle-in-law the labour is going to significantly outweigh the parts cost during this operation, so have I just answered my own question?

[scaryoldcortina]

"the labour is going to significantly outweigh the parts cost during this operation, so have I just answered my own question?"

 

Yes, you have.